Life is full of decision making. I once read that we make, on average, around seventy decisions in any given day. From when to rise, what to eat for breakfast, whether or not to go to the gym, – to more important decisions like – what to name our children, whether or not to change careers, or is it the right time to buy a new house. Our choices may impact only our own lives, or they may well create a ripple with far reaching effects. Fortunately, there are probably many more “inconsequential” decision we confront on a daily basis than the “major life changing” ones. Either way, from the mundane to the important, decision making can be both overwhelming, and at the same time, empowering.
When last we met here on the pages of this blog, I shared with you the recipe for an apple cake I made as my contribution to a potluck meeting I attended The one requirement of the dish I made for the gathering was that it needed to contain either apples or pears. Endless recipe choices crossed my way and were screened by my discerning sweet tooth. The fact that I am passionate about baking, I knew for certain that I would be making a dessert for my contribution. After weeding and waning between this one or that, I narrowed it down to the Apple Spice Cake with Browned Butter Frosting and this equally incredible Brown Sugar, Pear and Pistachio Cake. I was torn between the two for different reasons. The pear cake seemed unique, but the apple cake would be more realistic given the limited amount of time I had to make my dessert. This is when the beauty of decision making came in. Sometimes you get to choose both. And that is exactly what I did. Although the apple cake showed up with me at the potluck, I knew I could later make the pear cake and share it here with all of you. A win/win.
The one major change I made to this cake was the frosting. The original recipe called for eight – yes, 8, sticks of butter. I just couldn’t go there. Do the math and you will realize, as did I, that if you were to slice this cake into 12 servings, including the 4 sticks in the cake, each serving would contain approximately a full stick of butter. Instead, I created a buttercream that I felt complimented the pear and pistachio elements of the cake. I hope you agree!
The sweet essence of pear along with the exotic flavor of pistachios combine to make this cake an elegant interpretation of the infamous carrot cake.
Cake
2 cups (4 sticks) butter
2 pounds (6-8) unripe pears
6 large eggs
3 cups brown sugar
3 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 pound (approximately 3 cups) pistachios, toasted * and roughly chopped
Spiced Buttercream Frosting (recipe below)
Additional toasted and chopped pistachios for decorating the cake if desired.
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment, then lightly butter and flour.
In a small lightly colored saucepan, melt butter over low heat. When it has completely liquefied, turn heat to medium to brown the butter. It will bubble, and brown bits will form on the bottom of the pan. When the sputtering stops, strain butter through cheesecloth, and set aside to cool. You should have 1 1/2 cups.
Core the pears, leaving the peel on, and shred using the large side of a box grater or the medium-size grating attachment on a food processor. Gather shredded fruit into a triple thickness of cheesecloth or a thin cotton dish towel, and squeeze the liquid from the pears. Discard the pear juice or use for another purpose.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then drizzle in the brown butter and add vanilla. Add flour, and stir until just incorporated. Stir in shredded pear and pistachios gently. Divide the batter evenly among the three pans.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes have puffed and are lightly browned. Remove to a rack and let cool entirely before peeling away the parchment paper.
To assemble the cake, generously spread buttercream frosting (recipe below) between layers before stacking. Frost the sides and top with remaining frosting. Decorate the cake with additional chopped pistachios if desired.
Spiced Buttercream Frosting
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon (lightly packed) freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup mascarpone, or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
5-6 cups of sifted confectioner’s sugar
In a small saucepan, combine the cream, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a simmer and stir until the spices are incorporated into the cream. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the butter until light and fluffy. Add two cups of the confectioner’s sugar and beat until smooth. Add the cooled cream mixture, mascarpone, and the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Continue to add confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until the frosting has reached the desired spreading consistency. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before using.
* To toast pistachios, preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spread nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the nuts are lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove to a rack and cool completely before proceeding with recipe.
Source: Cake adapted from a recipe by Stella Parks as printed in the October/November issue of Garden and Gun. The frosting is my own recipe.
